Wednesday 24 September 2008

Dessert Thing

It's not a cake, it's not a crumble, it's not a cobbler or a slump - but it is warm and comforting and just what you want from your apple desserts. Plus it doesn't require me asking my husband to make the pastry for me because his is better...

Rosemary-scented Almond and Apple Dessert

Place a branch of fresh rosemary in an oven-proof dish. Peel and core dessert apples (not too sweet, but will hold their shape), cut them into 8ths and fit them into the dish on top of the rosemary. My dish takes 3 apples cut this way. Grate the zest of a lemon over the top. Pour over 1/4 cup white wine (I was drinking sparkling white Burgundy at the time) and drizzle 3-4tbs of maple syrup over.

Make a batter from 1 cup of Instant Vanilla and Almond Pancake Mix adapted by Dee from a recipe of Nigella Lawson's, letting it down with 1/2 cup thick cream (the spooning sort, not the pouring sort), 1 egg and a dash more vanilla.

Dab spoonfuls of the batter on to the apples. Bake at 180C for about 40 minutes until the top is golden and crusty. Serve with cream.

The wine, lemon and rosemary combine to make an extraordinary perfume - it's almost like gingerbread. Very delicious! I liked the high fruit: topping ratio, because it meant I had room for seconds, but when I make it again I will make a double quantity of topping batter and really lay it on thick.

I am sending this to Sophie at Key Ingredient for her apple & peach KICK contest.

14 comments:

Deb in Hawaii said...

What a great dessert and incredible combination of ingredients--yum!

SSS said...

Divine. Simply divine.

Alicia Foodycat said...

It's amazing how good a spoonful of cream makes things look, isn't it? I am definitely going to add rosemary to my next apple pie too.

kat said...

oh what an interesting combination!

Sam said...

This looks gorgeous, I never would have thought to add rosemary.

On another note I've given you an award! come take a look.

Sam

Brittany said...

I am so glad it is fall and I can dig into these yummies!

Unknown said...

Yum! How interesting with the rosemary...and so yummy with the cream.

Darius T. Williams said...

YES, YES, YES - 1 million times YES! This looks so freaking good. You know what - I think I'm going to try my hand at a dessert this weekend.

-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

Nikki @ NikSnacks said...

It is super late and I should be sleeping, but omg... :)

What's that on top in the last pic? ice cream?

Alicia Foodycat said...

The rosemary is really worth trying! Not my inspiration alas - it's in the current Waitrose magazine.

Nik - it's cream. I'd have preferred icecream but my husband isn't a huge fan and we can't have both! Well we could. But better not.

Natalie Que said...

This looks so sophisticated! I love the title! It's so hard to come up with good ones sometimes isn't it? I think "dessert thing" will suffice for this one! I love any kind of apple dessert -just don't make me eat one raw!

Dee said...

I've never used herbs in my desserts even though I know theoretically it works. Does it have any sort of savoury tones? I'm really intrigued.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Not at all savoury! Just a warm spiciness that I wasn't really expecting. I know what you mean though - the other herb I have had in a dessert was a basil syrup on a mango pannacotta and I couldn't believe how good that was!

Rachel said...

Sounds like great comfort food.

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